Voter Registration Figures for Scottish Parliament Election
More than 4.2 million individuals are registered to vote in the upcoming Scottish Parliament election scheduled for May, according to official data.
Newly released statistics from National Records Scotland (NRS) reveal that as of December last year, 4,266,700 residents of Scotland were listed on the electoral register. This figure represents a slight decrease of 0.4% compared to the previous year.
The number of 16 and 17-year-olds registered to participate in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections also experienced a minor decline, falling to 74,100, which accounts for 60% of the population within that age bracket.
However, NRS noted that voter registration numbers typically rise in the lead-up to a parliamentary election, indicating that these totals are likely to have increased since the beginning of the year.
Record High of Foreign Nationals on Voting Register
In addition, the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in the Holyrood election reached a record high of 198,100 as of December, representing 4.6% of the total electorate.
Details of the Scottish Parliament Election
The Scottish Parliament election is set to take place on Thursday, 7 May. A total of 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) will be elected to Holyrood.
The deadline for voter registration is midnight on Monday, 20 April. Eligible voters can register online via gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Currently, approximately one in five electors are registered to vote by post.
Eligibility Criteria for Voting
Eligibility to vote requires residency in Scotland and registration on the electoral roll. Voters must be at least 16 years old on the day of the poll and must not be legally disqualified from voting, such as serving a prison sentence exceeding 12 months.
Voters must also be either British or Irish citizens, or citizens of another country residing in Scotland who have permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or who do not require such permission.
